Three's The Right Number
by Wicked R
Summary: Elizabeth married James, set to forget about a world that doomed Will. Unless Jack can change her mind about it.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Three's The Right Number  
Disclaimers: I don't own any pirate/ship and I don't wish to.  
Genre: somewhere between romance, drama and humor I think.

Rating: PG for sexual situations and language.  
Summary/Set: Elizabeth married James, set to forget about a world that doomed Will. Unless Jack can change her mind about it.

Pairing: Norribeth, Sparrabeth.

Gibbs watched Jack walk up the gangplank looking like he'd got drunk in record time, it has only been a couple of hours since they dropped anchor in Veracruz. The Pearl's first mate rubbed his hands together. Since their last fiasco losing the ship, he wasn't allowed to set foot on land or drink while Jack was ashore, him being the only one Jack could trust to at least to some extent, but now that Jack was back maybe he could still go out enjoy the night. His smile faltered though and his brow furrowed when he saw that Jack seemed to be maddened.

"Raise anchor! Hoist the sails! Make sure ye tack into the wind out the harbor till I draw a course," he marched towards the stairs below.

"May the pigs be set upon by ravens and mangled, leaving only bespecked bone and curdled fat for the rats upon to feast!" Gibbs cursed the turn of events where he was denied a chance to try the inns in town, then ran after his captain, "but Jack, half the crew's still on shore leave!"

"Round up as many as ye can in the time we get ready, we're leaving forthwith!" He eyed the few men that were staying around just as stricken by not being allowed on land as the first mate was. He walked over to them, then leaned close to Murtogg's ears, "get moving ye all sour faced rabbit suckers!" He barked angrily.

Gibbs waved at the crew to follow orders, while he dared once more to chase the captain, "what by yer Lady L had happened? Where are we going in such haste Jack?"

"England!" Jack banged his cabin door open.

"England!?" Gibbs echoed following him into the captain's quarters. Now it's not just his rum that was at stake here. "Isn't that going to take us some time? Like the rest of the year?? Isn't that a bit, how should I say this, dangerous fe a pirate ship?"

"Ye questioning me orders?" Jack stopped from rummaging in his drawers and flashed dark eyes at his first mate. At this moment they seemed more dangerous to Gibbs than an encounter with a fleet of navy ships by the coast of England.

"No, sir," Gibbs felt necessary to go by titles, "I'll take care we make speed. I'm merely pointing out that this move will not be so popular with a crew yer trying to keep from mutinying against ye again, if without any explanation."

There was an uncomfortable silence with Jack squinting at him, then he pulled a map out Gibbs has not seen for years. "Don't tell me the crew wants shinies, meaning ye as well. Honest pirating, haven't we done enough of that lately?"

"Aye, too much perhaps, crew wants to spend their shares, put it somewhere safe."

"Good then. Anybody who wishes can start a new life wif it. But not here. Cause we're going to England."

"But why, Jack, why? Endanger our lives, the ship being recognized?"

"Ship can be altered. The king has to be stopped!"

Gibbs looked at him suspiciously. Making deals with Davy Jones, well, it did turn out all right in the end, a twelve year old boy tracking down the sword of Cortes, it happens, escaping volcano eruptions, very well, but trying to go up against the king of England in his own back yard? This whole superiority complex had finally made Jack lose his mind. It was bound to happen one day..."Do ye remember the last time ye set foot on the shores of Europe?" He tried to remind Jack it wasn't such a good idea, with impersonating a cleric of the Church of England and all, cause he needed a disguise not to be recognized.

Jack scrunched up his nose and hissed as a way of shaking the question off. "What kind of king'd opt to stay with the enemy? What kind of king ignores everything that mattered to her before and her people? Abandons them and buries herself on land for years!! She married a navy officer, by God's teeth so they told me she did, staying at an estate as the lady of the house, home with children! What kind of pirate king'd engage in that kind of behavior?"

Gibbs sighed in relief. Her. The pirate king. He's going to talk to her and not attack Charles II of England. That's better. A tad. " A king ye elected yerself?" He rolled his eyes, backing out from a room where the occupier was completely engulfed in studying his maps. Gibbs had a harder job, breaking the news to the crew...

tbc


	2. Baggage

Chapter 2: Baggage

Lady Elizabeth flopped down tiredly on the double bed she shared with her husband, constable Norrington. James had just returned home from an assignment north and they had spent the day, as she felt, playing family in the garden all day with their two children, William and Leighanna. Of course, her eldest was in fact a Turner, but not even the child knew about that. James had married her before they arrived back to the old continent and treated the boy as his own. Watching her children play day in, day out, waiting for her better half to return for a bit of excitement in a life spiced up by the choice of asking the servants to make pumpkin pie or raspberry jelly for dessert, has mentally exhausted her and she retreated to her room to daydream as usual while her husband was busy with telling a bedtime story to his beloved daughter. Elizabeth lay back on the pillows, sighing.

"Lizzie."

Elizabeth frowned. Hm. Although she'd tried to refrain from recalling the past whatsoever, she had to admit she did think of Captain Jack Sparrow occasionally and she even had imaginary conversations with him about what one's freedom and piracy was worth, but she has never heard his voice so clearly before. Well, maybe it wasn't a good time for a rest. Once Jack appeared in her mind she could only avoid relieving that conversation over and over again if she kept herself busy. Her eyes searched for something to do.

"Lizzie." The voice repeated. It sounded impatient, annoyed, but drawn out and affectionate at the same time as well. It came from close, yet it was somewhat distorted and muffled.

"Are we clear, luv?" Her wardrobe said in a perfect, heavy Jack Sparrow accent. If she came to think about it, there was an odd smell of rum in the room when she stepped in.

Absurd, all right... "Oh for crying out loud!" She ditched her doubts and insecurities about having gone crazy for a moment. After all, there was only one way of finding out. She stomped over to the piece of furniture in question and flung the door open vehemently to find Jack Sparrow waving at her smirking.

"What in the name of holy mother of God do you think you're doing?!" She hissed as loudly as she thought was safe. Not exactly the way a lady should be speaking. Perhaps the pirate was still in there? 

"Now, now Lizzie. Maybe I should take the pirate king back to her duties, huh?" Jack tried to disentangle himself from a pink dress, the frills of which got stuck in two of his belts. 

"Why? What's wrong?" 

"Troops, Lizzie. All over the Caribbean, and not just English. Nations I've never heard of before trying to protect their merchants. Letters of marque are no as easy to obtain, rulers are afraid of getting their hands dirty..." Although it went quite well for the Pearl with a captain like himself, it was true it wasn't all gold for the rest of them. 

"That's just run of the mill stuff Jack." The ball season has just finished in the capital, she was well informed of what was happening in the world. 

"We were asked to smuggle tobacco instead! Smuggle! Who's fe such thing? We're flooded with slaves, Tortuga has pretty much burnt down, the letters of marque have dates on then, allowing plundering for a limited period of time! Unheard of! All pirate king matters that should interest ye!" He protested, stepping out the closet when he thought he got rid of the frilled garment. 

"Shut up!" 

Jack grunted when he saw it was his boots now that were stuck to the dress. Didn't stop him from seizing her arm, "what's the matter wif ye? Not interested in chaining a man to the mast and sinking him anymore? Yer freedom, yer curiosity, yer Will, yer..." 

"I said shut up. I heard the door of the children's bedroom. James is coming!" She pushed and dragged and shoved him back into the wardrobe, then turned just in time to face her husband walking in. She didn't notice that pink dress that Jack'd been hauling around was half out the door, making a trail on the floor to the wardrobe. 

Tbc 


	3. Jammed

Chapter 3: Jammed 

James came at a halt by the door, scrunching up his nose. There's been a long time since he drowned his sorrows in that type of alcoholic beverage or associated himself with piracy in any way, but he'll always remember the way the taverns smelt in Tortuga. Oh well. He always knew it will be hard to make Elizabeth satisfied. She was a high maintenance wife who needed taken on lots of little trips, she excepted him to share the secrets of his work with her, practice his fencing with her and to be brought presents. And then there was that other thing they never mentioned since the day James promised her he'll let her go, the condition of their marriage, that when the day comes, she can go meet Will. A few years yet, he could ignore that just now. But how unhappy and nostalgic did Elizabeth get if she'd resorted to rum? Navigation books, all right, talking about pirates in a romantic, idealistic way in front of the children, it was expected, wearing man's clothes when noone saw her, strange, but acceptable. Now rum? She didn't even like it! 

Seeing Elizabeth's distant eyes and distracted behavior, James resorted to the thing he knew worked best when his wife was in that mood, intimate contact, comfort. He was all she had for that, they provided solace for each other. He walked up to her, the smell of rum getting stronger with every step, and took her hands into his, softly caressing them with his thumb. He noted she avoided his eyes, again. Must be thinking about Turner. Will Turner was dead though, in more ways than not, thus her agreement to marry him instead, so not taking her for himself wouldn't have made sense. There were times he could convince himself she really meant it when she said that she loves him, that she could never ask for a better husband. If only they could get past these uncomfortable moments as quickly as possible... 

He moved his hands to her sides while still holding hers and leaned in to kiss her. She rushed it and pushed him towards the bed, seemingly eager, with her face flushed. 

Elizabeth was up for anything, just so she was able to get James away from the wardrobe. Urged to move backwards, he tripped over the white undergarment, accessory to the pink dress that ended up on the floor, which he followed down, landing on his back side. 

There was a faint snort coming from behind Elizabeth, but she covered it up with some moans she directed in a turned on manner towards James' chest as her hands brushed over his upper body when helping him sit up on the bed. 

James picked up the article of clothing and tried to stand with the intension of putting it back where it belonged, he's always been pretty tidy, but Elizabeth ripped it out of his hand all of a sudden, then put it playfully around his neck to pull him down into a lying position. 

Only that if they were both there, Jack could see them in action premier plan through the opening of the door, provided by the bit of stuck dress. Elizabeth was in disarray. She hissed alarmed when she realized that in the meantime James has already undid her dress at the back and her breasts were clearly visible from the side, where the article of furniture stuffed with Jack was. She frowned self consciously and brought a hand in front of herself to cover her intimate parts. Her breath quickened in dread. If Jack will be able to see her naked body, the places James licks, providing so much pleasure for her she can't keep from moaning in delight. No, Jack can't see her in such vulnerable position, not to mention the most talked matter on the Pearl for, say, a century! Something had to be done, right away. 

"I feel lightheaded," she pulled back and groaned. Going for the full passing out routine would've been a bit too obvious, it has been a long time James last fell for that. She was also worried James noticed how anxious she was, "and a little short of breath," she continued. Why not use the way she was breathing in her anxiety to her advantage.

"You should lie down then," James said with concern, and gave her room by sitting up himself. She always used to feel unwell when she was pregnant and they were heatedly trying to make love. Was she with child again? Will he finally have his well awaited true son? He patted her hand. In the interest of it all going well, he should leave her alone. "I'll get you some water," he offered.

"Thank you," she gave him a genuine smile, happy she could get him out the way for whatever Jack wanted here all of a sudden. Then she remembered she had to look beat.

James watched her close her eyes and sigh, wondering when he will figure her out. She was changeable, unpredictable, that's for sure. He backtracked and almost tripped over the dress next to the bed again. In the interest of it not happening again, he grabbed it, his hand sliding over the sides as if Elizabeth was in it. He'd always liked the feel of that dress on her, it should be saved from ripping, jammed in the door of the wardrobe like that. He put his hand on the doorknob and pulled. It was as if the door opened a little, but then something pulled it back. What else could've been jammed in there?

"James!" Elizabeth shrieked, having opened her eyes at the shuffling noise. She sat up in the bed popping up like a stick, "I forgot to tell you that door's stuck," she garbled quickly while James gave it a few more powerful pulls. "It's not important, we'll get it fixed it tomorrow." She had to get him out of here, deceive him. "We got sidetracked here, but I wanted to ask you to go get the doctor." She had to go by the same analogy of the pretense of lightheadedness she already started. "Don't get worried darling, it's just one of those women things you know."

"You want me to go now?"

"I'd like to know if I'm expecting, wouldn't you, dear?" She wasn't, but he didn't know that.

James smiled elated, "of course, I'll just go on horseback." He stepped back to kiss her good bye, but stopped in his tracks. There was a dull bang behind him. "Did you hear that?"

"Heard what?" She replied hastily, "that you're going on horseback?"

James turned his head back towards the wardrobe. "What's going on with that thing?" Then before she could do anything else about it he grabbed the handle again. This time, it opened without any hassle.

Tbc


	4. Twilight

Chapter 4: Twilight

Elizabeth gasped and closed her eyes. She didn't want to see what was going to happen next and which one of them will be quicker drawing a pistol. Probably Jack, he was better at it and James would be too stunned at first. However, there was no clicking noise, a gun being fired or blades clinking, or even a good hearty yell of surprise. Nothing, bar the rustling sound of dresses.

She had to open her eyes and saw James lying on the floor buried under a pile of skirts, coats, corsets and night gowns, supplemented by her complete ball attire on the top of his head, covering his eyes.

Jack was in the way of leaping over him and sliding under the bed, spry like a cat, in a fashion that reminded her of the way he jumped into the water head first. She would've laughed out loud at the strange occurrences in her bedroom if she wasn't supposed to be pretending to be light-headed. Withal, she felt the need to rescue her husband from under the collection of clothing items, shelves and bits of the closet, that somehow miraculously decided to disintegrate itself the moment James touched it.

"You shouldn't have pulled it so when it was stuck," she advised him self righteously.

James' head popped out from under the tousled curls of her voluminous chemise, "what happened?" He asked dazed, spitting the end of a ribbon out his mouth.

"Oh, just that wardrobe falling apart. Must've been my fault for overstuffing it, sorry."

James picked himself up with the help of Elizabeth. Such mishap will not slow him from finding out whether a possible son was on the way. He shook off her fontange that was stuck to his trousers, an adorned cap of lace wired to stand in vertical tiers with streamers to either side, "the maid will deal with the mess. You rest," he intonated as if giving an order and walked out. God, those clothes women have to wear are heavy.

"Out! From under the bed!" Elizabeth made a much better job of commandeering, than James earlier, but of course he didn't have the constitution of a pirate king. "What positions you're putting me in here! State your intentions or lea...uuh.." She remained speechless as Jack emerged in an orange, long, tight satin bodice with paned sleeves lined in white and a matching petticoat. These men were covered in her wardrobe! "How did you manage to put that on under the bed??"

"Captain Jack Sparrow, luv!"

"But why are you wearing it?"

"I was thinking along the lines of disguise."

"And the string of pearl eardrops?" She pointed at the earrings hanging from under his hair.

"Pearl! I miss her!" He ceremoniously shrugged the women's clothing off, "we're ten miles inland! Tell me darling, how could ye leave it all behind like that?"

"Will was gone and I never wanted to do it alone. James has always been there for me. He offered..."

"An offer? Is that what ye want?" His eyes were daring her to answer either way, he was ready to fight.

Elizabeth felt struck by the intensity in his manner once more, there was some energy there inside him that was hard to suppress and one movement of his hand contained several lifetimes' excitement. He didn't need to talk, some words could never be spoken between them and they didn't have to. He moved closer and she shook her head in deja vu. No, she wasn't on the Pearl, no, she's hasn't just been encouraging him to be a good man while teasing him at the same time, no, she's not nearing him, taunting him with the possibility of a kiss, but he is caressing her cheek and they are going to kiss. He jerked her closer and traced the line of her lips before tasting them. It was that kiss that never happened because of the black spot, it had finally came to take place, only transmuted in another place and time, the one both of them were thinking of since neither of them wished to remember the kiss that did happen.

She broke off, "Jack, I can't go with you. I can't do that to James, to my children..."

"Hush, don't speak. Take it as a present. No doubts, no repent, no committal. How long do we have till yer husband comes back?" He slipped a knee slowly between her legs.

"No rush, Jack," she smiled relieved by him wishing the same thing as her and she slid against him. If this was their only time she wanted it to be perfect.

A year later

Holding the three months old Jamie in his arms and looking at her beautiful wife playing with the two other children, James nodded to himself, having come to an agreement with himself that all the heartache and difficulties he went through for this ideal family was worth it. All the wondering about her love for him from ever since he first thought about marrying her has finally came to an end. It was his dream to have a son and apparently it must've been Elizabeth's dream to have a son with him too, cause ever since their baby son was born Elizabeth was as if somebody would've swapped her over with a happier, cheerier person and not just that, but sharing her happiness with him as well, coming over as more loving than ever before. He could hardly believe it, but he wasn't going to argue with his own luck.

Elizabeth glanced at the perfect picture of her husband gently rocking the baby to sleep and quietly muttering to him. It wasn't an easy job, the boy had more energy than all of them put together and wished to discover the world as soon as possible. During her pregnancy she was very worried that the child'll come out with dark skin and long, wavy black hair and what would she have done then? Jamie however, thankfully, took after her, at least as much as appearances were concerned. She did sometimes imagine Jack in James' place, what he'd do and say to his son, but it was best this way. A sense of peace has made its home in her. She'd loved three men in her life, she could never have them all, but she could have a token from all of them, just for herself to keep.

The End.


	5. Wrapping Paper

Chapter 5: Under Wraps

Superintendent James Norrington had no trouble advancing in the ranks of the police either, the same way as he was once with the navy. He was brave, he was clever and he instinctively knew where to look for answers in most situations. Tired from the day's work, he wondered into the bedroom already starting to take his waistcoat and neckcloth off and there was a loud bang coming from inside when he threw open the door. Given that Elizabeth was off on one of her lengthy horse riding sessions where she ended up at the beach and stared endlessly at sea, and that the children were downstairs with the servants, the noise had to be of a dark nature, but if not, in any case of a nature worth investigating. There was somebody hiding in the wardrobe, James decided, there could be no other explanation. He unsheathed his sword and turned it so it'd shield him if there was someone behind the entrance door, just in case. There were obvious signs of intrusion, like the pitcher turned over, lying on the floor and the windows open when it was raining, yet the whole room seemed empty. Then he found it next to the wardrobe. An empty bottle, but not just any. It was a type not made in England. Alfredo Vega Toro, it said, James himself emptied some of those in Tortuga for a while after he was thrown out from the navy. Certainly wasn't something he'd expect to find in his own bedroom. His drinking days were long over, even if Elizabeth's happiest years after little Jamie's birth were shortlived. James had come to terms with the fact that his wife wished to return to sea and the adventures, especially since by what he could gather she was more in love with the freedom and the power piracy offered, than she could be with any one person in particular. Or was it what he told himself only?

Consequently, the existence of a rum bottle in the room was utmost disturbing and it had nothing to do with danger. All of a sudden, he felt sick at the voice of the nanny giving Jamie into trouble for his bold boisterousness again, a character trait he'd previously attributed to the boy inheriting Elizabeth's nature. It all made sense now. Rum, wardrobe, James junior, or how to have your world coming tumbling down in three easy steps. For a long while, he had a hunch that his son wasn't really his own, but dismissed it as he never saw Elizabeth taking interest in any other man since they got married and he was embarrassed to think such a thing. Now the memory of the only time he'd smelt rum in that room suddenly shed a new light on things. Which could only mean one thing. The one and only Jack Sparrow was in his closet and not for the first time! The fortunate pirate may not get away with it this time after all and he'll finally have a day he could call the one he did actually get the upper hand over his old adversary. He thought for a minute, smiling, "well, well... Jack Sparrow, isn't it?" He thrust his sword forward and into the small space in between the two heavy wooden closet doors, just about at the hight of his chest. If his calculations were right, he'd nicely positioned his weapon to Jack's neck, and not for the first time. He didn't worry about injuring him, the captain could well take care of himself and if not, then not.

"Out the wardrobe!" He yelled.

The door opened a crack as someone shifted inside. Then after a few moments of unresponsiveness, he heard the sound of soft crying and whimpering breaths. James paused, wondering what kind of trick was this supposed to be from the artful pirate? He could detect the rustling of silk and then the door opened a bit wider.

"I mean no harm, Sir," a little voice of pity said, struggling not to cry while talking.

James didn't recognize it. It sounded like a child, but it could've been a woman. "Who's in there? Step out slowly!"

There was a long sigh that was almost like a shaky moan and then a fair, bushy head peeked at him through the few inches opening, followed by the full stature of a child of roughly William's age, a thin, but agile looking boy in a dark blue, long sleeved traveling robe. His skin was telling of places far South and his eyes green-gray, intelligent.

"I'm sorry about the mess, Sir, I thought I'd fill this empty bottle up with some water from your pitcher. I was hoping noone'd notice. I just..." His mouth stayed open with him not being sure how to explain himself away, especially that he has been told and taught to use his most proper English when in England.

James gave him a reassuring smile, "take your time, son. How did you get in here?"

"I was supposed to wait in the closet and not make the slightest noise till uncle Jack came back with my father."

"Uncle Jack," James repeated, "Jack Sparrow?"

"Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please, Sir."

James pursed his lips and humphed. So his suspicions were right, at least to some extent. Sparrow was present, somewhere close. But there were plenty of other angles he didn't know about, "and your father? What's his name?"

"My father's supposed to be Superintendent James Norrington, Sir, although I've never met him myself, just uncle Jack. He left me this letter to give to people if I get caught," he handed the dirty piece of paper to the confused man.

James raised his eyebrows and read the letter with obvious reserve.

Dear Well-thought-of Ex Commodore,

as much as I'm still rooting for you, as always, mate, I saw best if we avoided the company of each other for health reasons you see. And if I would've told the boy I'm getting rid of him, he would've stuck to me sash and never let go. I'm quite fond of that sash you know. Hereby I deliver little Norman, or how we call him, Norry. I hope you remember some of your very drunken loony nights in Tortuga, cause Giselle swears that's where the bastard comes from. Excuse me for calling him names, but that's what he is until you take him in.

With warm regards,

Captain JS.

James knelt down by the child, scrutinizing him once more with heightened interest. He shook his head. No, there was absolutely no reason why Sparrow should lie about this.

Tbc


	6. Look Who's Talking Now?

Chapter 6: Who's Talking Now?

As much as James wanted to reciprocate the surprise, hiding in Jack's closet in between blankets and an extra hair trinket collection on the Black Pearl was a spur of the moment decision. After Norman's description it wasn't hard to figure out where they were anchored, the only problem would've been if a crewmember found him before Jack did, and the closet was the most reasonable solution for that anyway.

Jack entered in a merry mood, and why wouldn't he have been? He had letters of marque from three different countries, and only one of them was forged, he had re-established beneficial relations with a Tia Dalma who could still take on human form and he just came back from a meeting with one of his old cartography student pals, who'd provided him with the newest form of the world map, containing all recent discoveries and passageways to new dreamlands. All in all, it could've been the rum that was responsible for his mood. He kept himself well inebriated and incapacitated during his visit to England, if he was any more stable on his feet he would've not been able to deny himself another call in by the Norrington house. After all, he didn't meet Elizabeth when he dropped the boy off, she didn't seem to be around and Jack couldn't wait any longer.

Without throwing a glance in any direction, Jack headed to take a nap. Not good, James panicked, but there was no time to do anything before the pirate slumped onto his bed and found that somehow there wasn't enough room on his normally spacious piece of furniture. Could Barbossa have taken the ship at some point without him noticing and the captain's quarters with it? That was something he had to make sure didn't happen. He reached out first before he looked, the obstacle was soft, spread out and smelling of milk. Amazing how a toddler could take most of the bed, given his size. Wait a minute! A tiddler! Angelically asleep, delicate and clean, but nevertheless a potentially annoying, pretentious and trouble making delinquent, just one day after he got rid of the challenging task of having Norry on board! The thought galvanized him into action all right. What was it with these children popping out the woodwork? He stared at the boy, just to be convinced he was there when his closet rattled and the box with the sometimes valuable and sometimes just interesting beads he'd been collecting from the four corners of the earth all rolled out, mostly disappearing in the crevices of the floor boards. And how? That box was secured, so not even a violent storm could harm his collection.

"Crap at hiding, art ye, wench?" Jack called out to whoever else was in the room with him. With such a young child, he was reasonably assuming it'd be his mother hiding. God knows, he'd been with much more wenches than the commodore in Tortuga, and not just there, and there would've been no surprise if some of them sometimes showed up looking for some of that hoarded wealth he could call himself to be in the possession of. He frowned. Maybe the wench wasn't all that bad at not being noticed after all, there was no more noise or any other hint that could reveal exactly who it was.

He quickly, but quietly made his way over. He stopped in front of the door and stood there with his arms folded and with a serious expression. He was in no mood to explaining why he wasn't willing to settle for a relationship, not unless that one lass showed up. But hey, weren't they in England? The possibility of Lizzie being there was slim, but they did have that one night together on his last visit, so maybe? Either way, he had to find out and if there was another wench there, he could just soothe his needs with her anyway. Well, he was going to go for it, "boooo!" He said loudly and wrenched the door of the closet open the exact same time James decided there was absolutely no point to the hide and seek game in the first place apart from the thrill of having traded places with Jack. Besides, he didn't think Sparrow capable of finding him in his heavily intoxicated state.

Both handling the door at the same time, they gave it some speed, making it fly off its hinges. James just about managed to stop himself short of colliding with his once foe, but almost chocked from the rum filled breath.

Jack opened his eyes wide. Norrington wasn't the kind of entertainment he was looking for. He gave a dramatic, heartbroken sigh and almost stumbled back. Yet he would've been better off tumbling out the way, because neither of them suspected that the now freely wobbling door will turn on them with a loud bang and knock both of them on the ground on top of each other with a sickening thud.

The bang echoed in James' head for what seemed like ages till he slowly and dazed lifted the object to the side and himself up into a kneeling position. So much for attacking Jack, at least verbally, for repeatedly ruining his life. Bar the last visit, cause he had to admit he did like the present Jack left him and yet it is leading to life ruining after all if things went according to his plan, even if it going to be self inflicted this time. He rubbed his head to help with the orientation and cursed himself for being so defenseless in front of Jack and a rather heavy door. Wonder if he had that door installed like that and planned that? By the way, where was Jack and why was the ground under him moving? He looked down and was stunned to see a heap under himself, a rather harmless Jack lying even more foggy than him, on the floor, under him. James had his palms on the pirate's chest and his knees pushed into the captain's stomach. The Ex commodore quickly decided that he couldn't quite have the conversation with Sparrow he came for this way, as the pirate seemed rather out of puff.

"Are you all right, Sparrow?" James asked, with a small hint of worry in his voice. He did need that man for his plans after all.

A painful moan, followed by irritated babbling answered him, which the good ex commodore took as a yes. Well, at least well enough for that conversation. "On your feet," James rolled his eyes and ended up helping the pirate up in annoyance at his futile attempts to stand upright. "Oh, will you sober up!" James planted Jack on the chair wracking his brain about what he could do. Unfortunately, from own personal experience, he knew fine well that didn't go very easy, but he had to try. There was no water to pour down his throat around, so he slapped the sottish man across the face quite hard and raised his hand in case more was necessary.

Jack's eyes snapped open, "damn it, former commodore!"

"Sorry, old habits and all that."

"Why do ye spend yer time here?"

"I'm here to make you happy," came the grim answer.

"Ye have better company to yer liking me thinketh. Did ye really need to bestow yer thanks fe bringing yer son upon me? We can just forget about that, shall we?"

"I don't like the situation the same way as you don't, but I believe thanks are in order from you, Sparrow. I would've hated for you to miss your chance of bonding with a son as well," he raised his eyebrows mockingly and nodded in the boy's direction, stirring a little in his sleep.

Jack stared, looking at him uncomprehending, yet innately understanding all that has transpired. It was the tumultuous emotion that stopped him from speaking. Yes, ex commodore Norrington has managed to up the surprise, in almost just as a dramatic fashion as when Jack found out Davy Jones' heart was gone. "Did Lizzie...did she tell ye the lad was mine?" He finally sputtered.

"She didn't need to, not with words anyway. Her guilty looks spoke for her, her blushes, her tears, her hesitation to show her love for her son. Then there's his eyes that were so reminding of you after they lost their babyishness, his boisterousness and lack of fear in front of danger. Jamie is called after me, but he is not mine and Elizabeth's feeling too conscience-smitten to care for him as much as the child deserves. It's far from me to suggest that a rum pot deckhand what keeps losing his own ship can provide the best for a boy of, well, any age, but what me bringing Jamie here will cause will make everything right in the end."

"I'm failing to follow, former Commodore."

"Elizabeth loves the sea and misses adventure terribly, but she has enough of a sense of duty and loyalty not to want to leave me. But if she thinks you kidnapped your son in exchange for mine's, she'll have all the right reasons to set off for the Caribbean and chase you down."

"If I may be so bold as to inject my professional opinion I'm not sure if either of the two of us should look forwards to that?"

"What have you got to lose?"

"Again, I'm failing to follow, former Commodore. What's in it fer ye?"

"She has three children. Once she'll saturate her thirst for risky ventures," and he didn't add, hunger for you, "she'll come back to us much happier. All I need from you is to let her go when the time comes for her to decide so."

Jack bit his inner lips and nodded. If he would've been in any condition, he would've stood to honor that courage James faced life with. It reminded him of his own, or how he was before he had to give Elizabeth up. There was no doubt he'd agree and they both knew it. "if you'd take a promise from a pirate, I'll bring her home myself when the time's right."

tbc


	7. Orison

Chapter 7: Orison

Long passed the last island outpost before the open Atlantic Ocean, the crew of the Black Pearl was on their sixteenth day of traversing the waters towards the dark and foreboding waters of the wide Sargasso Sea.

Jack was silently staring out to the vast horizon, they were not in any hurry to get anywhere so that Lizzie could catch up with them if she was "chasing" them. He was not sure Elizabeth'd cross on the same route, but it was the best to avoid the doldrums in the middle of the ocean and he himself had once taught Elizabeth about it, so it was fairly reasonable to think she'd follow him where she'd think he'd went. Glancing aft, he was hoping he'd spot a ship in pursuit. There was one to be seen of course, closing up on them by the stern, flying Dutch colors. She was too little for them to be bothered by attacking her and that one had been in sight for the last two days and so it was very unlikely to have been Lizzy. Next, he pulled a telescope from his belt, extended it and took a view around his surroundings that way as well. For a moment, his heart jumped, but then he realized it was a fishing vessel he was seeing. There were a relatively small number of islands in the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, but if they were, the inhabitants made their living hauling traps and fishing, so the sight quickly became uninteresting. "See anything else up there?" He shouted up to Marty up the crow's nest.

"I've got a ship in sight," the short pirate reported, surprised himself at the sudden burst of activity on the seas.

"Care to share any more?" Jack stomped his foot impatiently. If there were any more delays, he'd climb up to the rigging himself to see better. It had been years since he'd last seen Lizzie.

"Spanish flag, coming from the other direction. Galleon's smaller than the Pearl, the people I see I can not identify from their clothing what they are, but few seem to be carrying swords. Single gun deck. Nothing we shouldn't be able to handle," Marty overtly suggested attack. He was sure the rest of the crew shared the same thought, they didn't see much point to the long journey to England and this way maybe it wasn't all for nothing.

Jack frowned. Maybe he was wrong all along and Elizabeth was close to the Caribbean by now. He was never keen on raiding a ship without particular reason, but then Marty continued.

"I see rum. Large crates of rum."

There was the sound of ovation from the crew and even the captain rejoiced and ordered full sail towards the just spotted ship, followed by another cheer from his men. "Make sure the cannons are all prepared," he told Gibbs.

"Aye, captain." However, Gibbs fell silent then and didn't move an inch. Jack looked at him oddly, so the first mate gestured with his head, before turning and going to follow orders.

Jack pulled his spyglass out again in dismay, raised it to his eye and directed it towards the ship in the distance coming at them from the starboard side. It did not come shy of bearing a pirate flag, the same way as they didn't. Perhaps they were after the same booty, but that shouldn't stop the Pearl. The maneuver of overpowering the Spanish ship could be over before the other pirate ship got closer if they did it right. Nevertheless, wasn't it rather queer to see so many ships close together in the middle of the ocean? But what's this now? From the shadow of the pirate ship, another one emerged and Gibbs ran back. She was graceful, perfect and smoothly cutting through the waves, approaching quickly. Not with the black flag of a pirate, but with blood red sails all. And you didn't need no spyglass to see it. She surely didn't mind to be noticed or frighten the hell out of people.

"I think there's a change of heart amongst the crew I must report," Gibbs shifted uncomfortably, " we feel the occasion calls for embracing that old and noble tradition ye sometimes like and sometimes not. We need to get outa here." The silence from the crew matched his words.

Jack nearly dropped the instrument in his hands, not even hearing a sound of what Gibbs was saying. Could he be wrong? The vessel with the red flag was known to him, although it was rather redecorated and improved, probably with none of her original crew, but a bit like the Empress actually. And if the Empress reemerged from where Lizzie was hiding it for the last few years, she was surely aboard.

Gibbs was in the meantime getting impatient, "captain. If we keep current course we're getting into firing range with the Spanish," he put a hand on Jack's arm to snap him back to reality, "they'll fire and we're not prepared."

"Then ready on the guns."

"But Jack, it's two against one if those get closer."

"They're signaling something," Ragetti pointed towards the ship they were intending to attack. He then drew the letters in the air he saw being shown up with the little colorful communication flags, even though he was just copying them and had no idea what they represented as he couldn't read very well.

"It says KING OF PIRATES," Gibbs translated the signs drawn into air by Ragetti, "ORDERS FULL STOP."

In the matter of moments they were surrounded by several vessels, not just the Spanish and the two pirate ships, but also the one that's been following them in the distance for days and the fishing boat too. In fact, one more small barque appeared from somewhere.

"That's right, Jack!" Elizabeth shouted over from the Emperor before flinging herself over, "where's my son?"

"In me quarters. Did ye call upon yer royal powers to summon every disguised or not pirate in the region darling or did ye jest do one of yer speeches to make everyone chase me?"

"You'd be surprised how many people'd want to chase you Jack just for sport if they'd know where to find you," Elizabeth stated walking towards him and when she reached him she delivered the most forceful slap a female hand ever contacted his face with, then left him standing there with a stinging face on her way to see her little boy.

"I know fe sure it's yer husband who deserved that instead," Jack shouted after her, just basically to mask the fact he was seeing sparkles and flashes after that strike. However, he couldn't mask the fact that he got unbalanced enough to land on his back side and caress his nose. Yet life never looked so good.

tbc


	8. Longitute

Chapter 8: Longitude

"I'm sorry Jack, Jamie'd told me it was James who brought him here to the Pearl," Elizabeth started as Jack dared to enter his own quarters long after midnight. The little boy had been over the moon about his mother's arrival and the excitement meant he was just asleep and Elizabeth could now concentrate on other matters.

"I'd accept yer apologia, but me broken nose no so much. Well, sorry, rebroken. The blood flow has barely stopped," he complained stroking his face and looked at her accusingly, "and I felt like I was dying when ye knocked me off me feet. So let's see, what else have I broken?" He rubbed himself over mockingly. After all, she deserved it.

Elizabeth regarded him squinting to see better in the candlelight, taking in his ever so cockeyed appearance, his amort body language and his pouty expression on a face almost artistically highlighted with eyeliners. He seemed to be talking funny too as if there was something wrong with his nose right enough and that made his words come out sounding differently. The contrast between his current actual expression and the fierce pirate he disguised himself to be made him look very childish and really quite cute at the same time. She couldn't help a slow, sexy smile creeping onto her face as he seemed to complain to keep up a grouchy ol' Jack image.

"Not to mention the god awful loud ringing in my ears," he continued to moan, tossed his head and placed his hands over that ear as if trying to drown out the displeasing sound coming from within his head.

Elizabeth laughed, "you'd better stop drinking that rum so you don't feel that dizzy," she mocked back, "honestly Jack, imagine Barbossa watching you whine after just a little slap from a woman." If he wanted to be treated like a child, she was not taking the chance away from him.

"Amazing what evil can a woman do with jest a kiss," Jack cooled her spirits by mentioning her shame, "but thank you, I'm all right now," he sat down on the chair opposite the bed where she was sitting and she could see that indeed he wasn't lying and there were some little dried on signs that his nose had been at least bleeding previously.

"It was an honest mistake. It's you who's the pirate, not James. Anymore. So it's confusing," she giggled and softened. And then, tantalizingly drawn-out, she languidly brought her fingers up to his pouting lips and delicately cleaned the smeared blood stains.

"Ye don't play fair, Lizzy, but ye don't always play like a pirate," he complained, "what is it to be?" He grumbled.

"The unpredictability of a king of course," she smiled and as a cue to the words, she kissed him and all of a sudden she felt the gratifying joyousness of belonging flood her soul. With Jack, she could be herself, she could feel free to do as she wished.

Jack could very well experience the heat of her passion. She pulled on his previously pouting lower lip with her teeth, almost forgetting to let go when she stood and stripped her shirt off. Making sure he was watching she slowly let go of it and continued with her trousers till she stood in front of him naked, "make love to me Jack."

Mesmerized, he could hardly keep up with the pace of undressing, but then there he was, his phallus raring like a horse, able to cover her body with his naked one in an embrace.

She gave a released sigh by bucking into him. Finally. He stroke her face and held her in his strong arms so that he could lay her down on the floor, the bed being busy. "Promise me I can see my son grow up and I'll make love to you."

She whined softly. Why did he always have an agenda? "Damn it, Jack."

"Promise me ye won't disappear with him, raise him on distant shores me have no business at."

"I didn't think that's the best way to convince me," he sighed in annoyance, her nails clawing into the floor, but it sounded like a moan when his tongue darted out and made circles around her nipple. She reciprocated by trailing his forehead, his ears with kisses, any part of him she could reach, which was not much now, as he moved lower, calculated, to tease her some more.

His tongue ran along her inner thighs, then kissed and bit softly into them before flicking that tongue against her clitoris and dipped into her very core. He grabbed her hips to take a deep dive, in and out, in a rhythm, making her cry out, sweat, writhe, heave and press herself closer, her body set on fire. Then, abruptly, he pulled himself up, his lips barely an inch from hers.

"Please love me Jack," she managed with glazed eyes, raptured away from pleasure.

"I love ye Lizbeth, I've always loved ye and it's not the point," he replied, his voice husky from held back desire. "Promise me ye'll stay."

"I'll stay," she breathed out, almost without thinking. The empty feeling inside her had to be filled, and it wasn't just physical. She wouldn't want anything more than be completed, claim him, send herself over the edge to adventure and madness she could only find when they were together.

Giving her a sly smile, he went back to his ministrations, but abandoned the tricks to tease for those to please. He had to be fast. The pounding between his legs was torturesome and it needed to be dealt with in an immediate manner. If Elizabeth would've hesitated any longer with the answer, it would've been him giving in. But now he could enter her, tongue into her mouth, manhood into vagina, rock her in unison with the waves moving the ship. He knew it wouldn't be forever, but she would stay and that was enough.

The End.


End file.
